Early prediction on Nalbandians return 2010

[bodave2]

Will he return to the top 10? He has shown us he has what it takes but he had a major hip surgery. I dont know how invasive this is but still a year off i dont know.

[grafselesfan]

I dont see him returning to the top 10. He could for periods but not a sustained basis. Even at his former best he is only a bottom half top 10 player amongst todays field. He never had the degree of consistency to be in the top 5 given how strong the current top 5 is. He was already a bit past his prime at the time of his surgery, his results falling off gradualy since the end of 2007, and when he comes back he will be turning 28, and hip injury returns tend not to be super succcessful. So I dont see him being a regular top 10 player again. Forget even winning another Masters title IMO, let alone reaching another slam final.

[bodave2]

Originally Posted by grafselesfan

I dont see him returning to the top 10. He could for periods but not a sustained basis. Even at his former best he is only a bottom half top 10 player amongst todays field. He never had the degree of consistency to be in the top 5 given how strong the current top 5 is. He was already a bit past his prime at the time of his surgery, his results falling off gradualy since the end of 2007, and when he comes back he will be turning 28, and hip injury returns tend not to be super succcessful. So I dont see him being a regular top 10 player again. Forget even winning another Masters title IMO, let alone reaching another slam final.

I think your right, I just loved his 07 run when he was in unstopable form even for a short time. He reminds me of Davidanko in that he has stretches where his game is perfection.

[IvanAndreevich]

Originally Posted by grafselesfan

I dont see him returning to the top 10. He could for periods but not a sustained basis. Even at his former best he is only a bottom half top 10 player amongst todays field. He never had the degree of consistency to be in the top 5 given how strong the current top 5 is. He was already a bit past his prime at the time of his surgery, his results falling off gradualy since the end of 2007, and when he comes back he will be turning 28, and hip injury returns tend not to be super succcessful. So I dont see him being a regular top 10 player again. Forget even winning another Masters title IMO, let alone reaching another slam final.

He finished 2003-2007 in the Top 10. That's 5 years, so I think he has a "degree of consistency".

[AM95]

hope Nalby comes back..hes good for the game, should have had a slam at least

[jamesblakefan#1]

Even before his injury he hadn't made a slam QF since 2006. Could he be a guy like Haas who makes a run at a slam? Yes. But I don't think he's going to be consistent enough results wise to make it to the top 10. The top 10 is getting harder and harder to crack now.

[grafselesfan]

Originally Posted by IvanAndreevich

He finished 2003-2007 in the Top 10. That's 5 years, so I think he has a "degree of consistency".

I meant relatively speaking. Sure he was pretty consistent, but the current top 5 players are more consistently strong than he was even in his prime.

Del Potro has been in the quarters or better of his last 5 slams including 1 slam title. That is in his small sample size as a top 5 calibre player.

Djokovic in his still young career has already gone through one 5 slam stretch of 1 slam title, 1 final, 3 semis in those 5. Overall in his last 11 slams now has been to the semis or better of 7, and quarters or better of 9. He has won 5 Masters titles in the last 3 years alone, plus the Masters Cup.

Nadal and Federer I dont need to go into detail on.

Murray has been a slam dissapointment, but still has been in a slam final, a slam semi, and two slam quarters in his only 16 months or so since becoming a top 5 calibre player. He has also managed to win 4 Masters titles over the last 16 months, double what Nalbandian has his whole career.

Nalbandian only once his whole career has made the quarters of 3 slams in a year, and that year he failed to reach the semis in any of those. His one year reaching 2 slam semis, he lost 3rd and 2nd round at the other two slams. His only year with multiple Masters titles (or any if we put the Masters Cup title in a seperate category) was a year he had poor slam results, failing to make a single slam quarterfinal.

So while at his former best he could be a threat to anyone on a given day on his best surfaces, he also would still only be bottom top 10 as he wouldnt consistently produce the results over an entire 12 year period to outrank any of Djokovic, Murray, or Del Potro. Then factor in that he is probably past his prime, will be 28 when he returns- an age where even Federer fans are claiming he is struggling to mantain his former level, and has hip surgery, and I dont see him even getting to that point in his return.

[edmondsm]

I am going to be realistic and hope for the calender slam.

[Lsmkenpo]

I am not sure if his heart will really be into it, he seems to have a lot of other interest besides tennis(rally cars).

It is a shame, because I think he is probably the cleanest ball striker on tour.

[jamesblakefan#1]

I think "Prime" Nalbandian's really been overrated on here, considering his so called prime that most point to lasted all of two tournaments, and to follow up his great success at the 2 MS tourneys in 07 he didn't even so much as make it to a 4R of a slam in 2008. That just shows how inconsistent and flaky he can be at times. I think people have delusions of grandeur when it comes to his return, hip surgery certainly isn't something to be taken lightly, it's no guarantee that he'll even make it back top 30, let alone top 10.

Having said all that, he is a talented player, I think he'll float around that 25-30 range next year, being a dangerous early round guy for all of the top guys, but ultimately losing in most of those matches.

[flying24]

Originally Posted by jamesblakefan#1

I think "Prime" Nalbandian's really been overrated on here, considering his so called prime that most point to lasted all of two tournaments, and to follow up his great success at the 2 MS tourneys in 07 he didn't even so much as make it to a 4R of a slam in 2008. That just shows how inconsistent and flaky he can be at times. I think people have delusions of grandeur when it comes to his return, hip surgery certainly isn't something to be taken lightly, it's no guarantee that he'll even make it back top 30, let alone top 10.

Having said all that, he is a talented player, I think he'll float around that 25-30 range next year, being a dangerous early round guy for all of the top guys, but ultimately losing in most of those matches.

I think he can be better than that. I think he has a good shot of getting back to the top 15. Maybe I am underestimating the hip surgery factor. You are right he is overrated by some on this forum but he was pretty consistent around the 3-7 range in the rankings for several years. He also has been to the semis or better of all 4 slams. Although I have to agree with grafselesfan that the current top 5 are all better than he ever was.

[Blinkism]

He'll probably make the Top 30 by the USO season.

This could have been in the General Pro Player forum, there's no spoilers here.

Just sayin'

[ChrisCrocker]

Originally Posted by jamesblakefan#1

I think "Prime" Nalbandian's really been overrated on here, considering his so called prime that most point to lasted all of two tournaments, and to follow up his great success at the 2 MS tourneys in 07 he didn't even so much as make it to a 4R of a slam in 2008. That just shows how inconsistent and flaky he can be at times. I think people have delusions of grandeur when it comes to his return, hip surgery certainly isn't something to be taken lightly, it's no guarantee that he'll even make it back top 30, let alone top 10.

Having said all that, he is a talented player, I think he'll float around that 25-30 range next year, being a dangerous early round guy for all of the top guys, but ultimately losing in most of those matches.

i think nalbandian's prime is 2002-2003, just as short as some people say federer's prime is only 2005(after AO)-2006. after 2003 he gained lots of weight and seemed like he didnt care for tennis anymore.

He made the finals of wimbledon in 2002, lost to roddick 2003 USO after being up 2 sets and took out federer also, who had just won wimbledon. and also took out federer in the AO. and also had an overwhelming H2H with federer. 5-0 or something?

[flying24]

Originally Posted by ChrisCrocker

i think nalbandian's prime is 2002-2003, just as short as some people say federer's prime is only 2005(after AO)-2006. after 2003 he gained lots of weight and seemed like he didnt care for tennis anymore.

He made the finals of wimbledon in 2002, lost to roddick 2003 USO after being up 2 sets and took out federer also, who had just won wimbledon. and also took out federer in the AO. and also had an overwhelming H2H with federer. 5-0 or something?

Nalbandian's prime was 2003-2006. 2002 his prime, no freaking way! 2002 he wasnt even as good a player as he has been in 2008 and early 2009. His Wimbledon final was the biggest fluke of the decade really, and no coincidence occured in the worst mens Wimbledon in tennis history. His worst surface by far where he is at best barely 4th round calibre even in his best years, and clearly before his prime somehow making the final. Still you look at his overall performance in 2002 he wasnt even close to a top 10 calibre player overall yet. In fact people were not even projecting him to the be the future top player he turned out to be at that point.

Nearly all that winning streak over Federer was in 2003 by the way, the start of his prime IMO (2004 was the start of Federer's).

[akv89]

Based on a couple interviews, Nalbandian seems really motivated to do well next year. He wants to get back into the top 10, win a major, and win Davis Cup. Lofty goals, but its nice to see that he is motivated.

[joeri888]

Hope he can surprise us again, but wouldn't bet on it.